Types of Maple Trees

Maple trees are found in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. There are about 125 species of maple trees, with most of them having their origin in Asia and some in North America, North Africa and Europe. Most of the maple trees grow to a height of up to 130 meters while others are shorter, with a height of less than 30 feet. The taxonomy of Maple trees is as follows:

• Kingdom - Plantae (Plants)
• Division - Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
• Class - Magnoliophyta (Dicotyledons)
• Order - Sapindales
• Family - Aceraceae (Maple Family)
• Genus - Acer (Maple)

Maple trees are used for landscaping; the shape of their leaves distinguishes them from other ornamental trees. Several maple cultivars are planted that depict typical characteristics of maple. Cultivars are nothing but trees cultivated using cloning or seed implant. The leaves of maple trees are lobed, small and oppositely placed. Each type of maple tree has distinct features and requirements. Some of the common types of maple trees are explained below.

Maple Tree Varieties
There are many varieties or cultivars of maple tree, some of which are given below.

Norway Maple: Norway Maple is a deciduous tree, native of southwest Asia, central and eastern Europe and Russia. These trees grow up to a height of 100 feet and the leaves have five lobes. The wood of Norway Maple is hard, yellow / red and is used in furniture and turneries. Leaves are dark green and turn yellow during fall. This type of maple is similar in looks to Sugar Maple. Distinct leaf shape and color make this tree used as a cultivar. Some of the cultivars are listed below.

• 'Drummondii'
• 'Columnare'
• 'Crimson King'
• 'Schwedleri'

Japanese Maple: The scientific name of Japanese Maple is Acer palmatum and it has its origin in the Eastern countries of Korea, Japan and China. This type of maple tree is a deciduous shrub that grows up to a height of 30 feet. The tree is being cultivated in Japan for many centuries. The leaves have 5 - 8 lobes and are green in summer and change to bronze, yellow, red or purple during fall. The tree bears small red, purple flowers. There are around 1000 cultivars of Japanese Maple. Some of the Japanese Maple cultivars are listed below,

• 'Bloodgood'
• 'Golden Pond'
• 'Higasa yama'
• 'Little Princess'
• 'Pink Filigree'

Red Maple: Red Maple is also known as Soft Maple and grows up to a height of 60 feet and is native to North America. It is a deciduous tree and is popular for its crimson red leaves in autumn. All the parts of tree, leaves, flowers, twigs and seeds have different shades of red. The commercial use of Red Maple is in the production of maple syrup. Some of the cultivars of Red Maple are:

• 'Autumn Spire'
• 'October Glory'
• 'Red Sunset'
• 'Armstrong'

Silver Maple: Silver Maple is also called River Maple / White Maple and is a deciduous tree with its origin in North America. This tree can attain a height of 80 feet and is closely associated with Red Maple. The hybrid tree formed from Red and Silver Maple is called Freeman Maple, which inherits features of both types of Maples. The wood of Red Maple is brittle and has fibrous shallow roots. The tree can have multiple trunks and hence needs to be pruned. There are no significant cultivars of Silver Maple.

Paperbark Maple: This deciduous tree is native to China and is the most common ornamental tree in the temperate zone. As the name suggests, the tree has a unique paper like bark that is smooth and has a red shining color. The leaves are green in color and turn red / brown during fall.

Sugar Maple: This type of Maple tree is native to North America and is a deciduous tree with a maximum height of 120 feet. The leaves are green in color that turn to elegant yellow shades in fall. The tree grows well in shade and is also drought tolerant. The Sugar Maple is considered to be the best source of maple syrup. The wood of Sugar Maple is used for furniture and flooring. Some of the Sugar Maple cultivars are given below,

• 'Fall Fiesta'
• 'Sweet Shadow'
• 'Green Mountain'
• 'Apollo'

Type Of Maple Tree	Scientific Name	Height (Feet)	Soil	Spread (Feet)
Norway Maple	Acer platanoides	40 to 50	Clay or Sandy	Equal to height
Japanese Maple	Acer palmatum	6 to 25	Sandy	6 to 25
Red Maple	Acer rubrum	40 to 60	Clay or Sandy	40 to 60
Silver	Acer saccharinum	50 to 70	Clay or Sandy	30 to 50
Paperback Maple	Acer griseum	20 to 30	Clay or Sandy	10 to 30
Sugar Maple	Acer saccharum	100 to 120	Sandy	70 to 80

Above listed are some of the common maple trees found; other than these, Black Maple, Amur Maple, Chalk Maple and Hedge Maple are some more types of Maple trees. Maple tree with its colorful and enchanting leaves is one of the most common deciduous ornamental trees found in North America. Maple leaf has a prominent place in the national flag of Canada.